CAPE MAY POINT — The Coral Avenue dune crossover, constructed in 2005, is showing its age and is no longer considered ADA-compliant, according to Cape May County engineer Dale Foster.
Sections have been lost on the beach’s downside and Borough Commission is looking at funding the structure’s replacement.
Commissioners passed a resolution April 8 in support of submitting a grant application to the New Jersey Department of Transportation.
Foster said the project’s scope would include using non-staining composite woods for a longer life and raising the walkway because of the sand accretion that has occurred over time.
Other aspects include switchbacks and round reinforcement access mats, which would be removable. The application also would seek a grant to cover the cost of equipment as well as installation and removal each season.
Foster said he is investigating grants from the Department of Community Affairs and Cape May County Open Space program, but funding was either limited or did not cover all construction costs.
Foster said the New Jersey Department of Transportation has a grant program every other year that could cover the entire $600,000 construction cost.
“This program has a design assistance program that will reimburse the borough for the design of the project,” he said. “It also covers the cost of construction inspection of the project, so I believe it’s a win-win for the borough.”
If the borough receives this grant, the only cost incurred would be the permit application fee.
The grant is open until May 22, and Foster said he is in the process of completing the application.
“It’s a very competitive program and in recent years seen additional funding put in by federal government, it is federal funds,” Foster said. “The DOT used to give out 15 to 20 of these grants every other year and last year they gave out 48 of these grants.”
Mayor Anita VanHeeswyk asked if something could be done with the path in conjunction with the project for those who are able to walk up and over [the sand]. Foster said they could look at securing enough ground reinforcement access net to cover the entire length of the bypass for those who can go up the steep incline and walk through soft sand.
Deputy Mayor Elise Geiger asked how high the crossover would continue to go over the dune. Foster said another 3 to 5 feet.
Foster said they are limited on slope, hence the switchbacks.
There also needs to be room under the walkway for sand to accrete and vegetation to take hold, he said.
Commissioner Suzanne Yunghans asked Foster what the timeline for the project would be if the borough were successful in receiving the grant.
Foster said it would not be quick. The grants will probably be announced in November or December. Then the DOT would go out with the request for proposals to establish a pool of consultants for design assistance, likely by February 2026.
Negotiations would take place before design authorization could start in May 2026. Construction-wise, Foster said it would probably be winter 2027 or 2028, depending on permitting.
“It’s a long process and I get frustrated at times waiting on the DOT to get back or authorize stuff,” Foster said.
Resident Sandy Allison asked if proposed revamping of the handicap ramp would help people with mobility issues and whether it could be moved to another beach entrance that is not as high.
“To move to another location would be quite an undertaking,” Foster said. “It is law, in order to meet the slope requirements, That’s why it’s so long to get up to the height.”
Other business
In other news, VanHeeswyk said the borough was contacted regarding an infrastructure project for fiber optic lines underground for connectivity.
“I know Cape May is going to be doing it and we’re going to be speaking with Cape May to see whether this is going to work for us,” she said. “It’s not going to be until later this summer, but the concept is that it should help our phone connections.”
VanHeeswyk added it was new to her and she has several questions as far as opening roads, and that she will be speaking with Foster to find out more.
Yunghans said the borough is aware that storms and winds have caused a lot of sand to be lost from Alexander Avenue to Surf Avenue over the winter, but she hopes some will be gained back over the summer.
She said at the request of many dog owners, a new dog station was installed at the north end of Circle Park.
Resident Hope Luken asked if the borough had received a report from Clean Flo regarding Lake Lily.
“We did get a report, but the challenge with it was they couldn’t comment on the vegetation in the lake because it’s so early in the season,” Yunghans said. “They did do a view of the lake depth and said they would be back to look at the vegetation again in May and they’d have a better comparison of the mapping they did a few years ago.”
Yunghans added she plans to meet with Friends of Lake Lily soon to share the mapping and discuss the next steps.
VanHeeswyk asked Yunghans if Clean Flo would attend a meeting to speak with commissioners. Yunghans said they did discuss that but when representatives left after repairing the bubblers, they were not closer to the best solution.
“They did recommend that we talk with another company that deals with aquatic weed invasives, so we’ve reached out to them and ask them to give us a look,” Yunghans said. “I feel like we’re in-between what needs to be the next steps.”
She added that she plans to loop the Environmental Commission into the meeting with Friends of Lake Lily. “Hopefully we’ll have a meeting of the minds and know what to do next,” Yunghans said.
– By RACHEL SHUBIN/For the Cape May Star and Wave
